Apparatus for refining crude petroleum



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\ APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE PETROLEUM Filed Aug, '7, 1942 s sneets-sne t 1 'LAVOY CARTER -& Jonu T. 6mm! July 3, 1945. CARTER ETAL 2,379,563

APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE PETROLEUM Filed Aug. 7, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 'LAVOYgEIARTER 7 HJOHNT. BQ-ARROW July 3, 1945. L. CARTER ETA]. 2,379,563

APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE PETROLEUM Filed Aug. 7, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 LAVOY CARTER JOHN 1'. BARROW ar/m";

July 9 1945 L. CARTER ErAL 2,379,563

APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE PETROLEUM Filed Aug. 7, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f a- Z 8 i F i5.8 ll l 1- as LAVOY CARTER JOHNT BARROW' i Patented July 3, 1945 APrAn Tusli on REFINING claim:

.. PETROIZEUM Lavoy Carter, Houston, and JohnIT Barrow, vSan said Carter assiznor to said Bar;

mutant-i s a 1942, seriai-notisaozs f' seam; rouse-52y t the pump" house 1 enclosing the colloid mill andinvention relates to crude petroleum. '7

. An object of theinventicn is to provide ing apparatus of the character described where:

by the hydrogen content of the hydrocarbon will be inc e s d, thus ul i i an cr as in the quantityfof high octanegasoline produced from a "given quantity or thecrude petroleum refined.

' ther. obje t r'fth ii iv m n sf iiids. refining apparatus of the character described;

whereby crude petroleum and'water maybe emulsified by passing the same through a colloid mill,

thus effecting a physical change andrth ereafter vaporized and subjected to catalytic, actlonflwhere by the hydrogen content of the petroleum isincreased and thereafter effecting a chemical reforming ofthe hydrocarbon molecules with molecules of water, said chemical reformation being brought'about by reasorilof the disassociationof the atoms of the water molecules and the hydrocarbon molecules and'fthe recombining oftlie'se free atoms into reformed hydrocarbon molecules of a richer'hydrogen contentthus increasingthe quantity of high octane gas ine obtainableirom the'crude petroleum;

The refining process effected by the apparatus results also in the production of butylene from which butadiene; a basic ingredient of synthetic rubber, may be obtained. v With the above and other objects inview, the

invention has particular-relation to'certain novel features of construction, operation and'alrrang'eseparate thr ate ng.

pumps.

Referring now moreeparticularly tothe drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 7 I designatesa storage'tank-for'the crudepetroleum having a supply line 2 "and the delivery-line 3, the latter being'connected into the intake of I the pump 4 whereby the" crude oilv'is delivered through the line 5 to the" colloid mill 6 of-"any selected-construction; I

ment of partsan example of which isgiven in "Figure 2 shows a longitudinal vertical sectional this specification an illustrated in e s a view of the 'furnace taken" on the line' 2'2:"of

Figure' i: 1 Figure'3 shows a horizontal sectional view." Figured 'shows" a transverse vertical sectional view taken'onthe'line l-Fof-Fig'iireflt Figure 5 shows "a side elevational vieit ofthe' apparatus partly in section.

Figure-6 shows an elevational view of the ti'onating tower and associated parts;

Figure '7 shows a fragmentaryperspective. view thereof. a 1 i 1 Figure 8 shows'a fragmentary perspective view of the fraetionating tower andv associated parts,

I Figure .9shows a horizontal sectional viewof- 'frac- The nume'ral I'designates a water tank which is connected, by. the waterline 8, into the intake of the pump 9; i Thispump' discharges water through the discharge-line I0 into the colloid mi11-6.- The oil and water are thoroughly e'mulsi fled by the colloid mill anddischarges' therefromthrough theqdischarge' line H; which-'co1ri'n1u'ni-- cates'witha coil in the-furnace -l3. The dis charge line-l l is equippedwith anexpansion valve Ila, to control the pressure'in coil l2." P f =The emulsion passes through the tubular coil or manifold 2 at a T final temperature or about 140005 l i: The manifold l2 terminates in a'catalystcase' H which "is filled with a catalyst 'suchas chrome nickel steel wireahd thorium oxide; 'Thesecata-l lysts cause the chemical reforming'of the hydrocarbon molecules-with the molecules of 'water increasing theliydrogencontnt of'th hydrocarbonw "Leading'froni th cata'lyst case Mjthre is' an *insulatedline "f5 which enters the top" of the heat exchanger is which is loeate'dfiear "the" top or asuita-ble' fractionating tower f1, 'laterto e referred to; i r at ,1 Provisionhasben made for heating the petrolleum emulslon'passinathrou'glithe batalystcas'e' I4; The furnace I3 hasbeen'heretoforereferred to. 'It is preferably a'brick or maisonry'* f1irnace' and "the coil l2= is securedto one side thereof'by means of-"the brackets 18;"l8f*'Theinside='wall of the furnace'opposite the coil I2 "is preferably provided with a-series' of' inwardly extended 'pro-' are connected to manifolds2l;25 whichare sup- As above indicated, the hot gases from the emulsion enter the case of the heater exchanger l6 where said gases are quenched and the tem-' erature reduce to a re e ran e which is. p is d p p r g m-the pump housing, there is the line 63 through about 425 F.

which the furnace is connected through the flue Leading from said heat exchanger, there is a.

pipe 3| which is formed into the branches-Mo. 3| 2) controlled by the respective valves 32, 33.

Incorporated into the branches il a, 31b are the branches 3la, 31b unite in a common 'pipe36-- which enters the tower I! near the lower end thereof. The branches '3la, 3th" beneath the. catalyst cases are controlled by the valves 31: 38. respectively. and the common pipe SB-is controlled byavalve39. K a

The catalyst cases 34, 35-are filled'with copper converting theoxygen compounds formed from the water in the colloid emulsion as a result of the reforming of the hydrocarbonmoleculesof the crude oil in the colloid emulsion; I r I Ihere are two catalyst cases at this point so that one or the other of them may be bypassed topermit its cleaning and refilling] 1 I There is a steam pipe 40 which enters the lower end of the tower beneath the connection of the pipe 36 into the tower and which is controlled by the valves ll; 42. This steam prevents flashin of the hydrocarbon as it enters the tower and re-heats and evapo'rates the'hydrccarbon in the tower into a vapor and'it passes up through the fractionating tower whose interior "constmction may be of any approved design. Leading out from the top of the fractionating towerthere is a vapor line 53 through which the hi h fraction vapors pass at approximately 375 F. to-a con denser 44. There is a water line leading' from any suitable source and formed into a coil-within the condenser and connected into said coil and leading out from the condenser there is a water line 46 which enters the heatexchanger l6 and is formed into a coil therein which is connected with the steam pipe 40. Accordingly, the water will be preheated in the coil of the condenser 44 and will pass thence into the coil of the heat exchanger IB which contains the hot v'apors from the emulsion and said water will be converted into steam and will pass on through the'line lllinto the bottom of the fraction'ating tower 'i'l'. i

As the hydrocarbon vapors rise'through' the fractionating tower. the lower fractions are condensed by cooling andcan be drawn oil at different points through relief lines l1, "and either re-cycled or transported for storage and some of the higher fractions maybe ,drawn on through the line 49 to be condensed into liquid.- These respective lines are controlledby th valves 51!. 5! 52. A gas separator 53 .hasbeen' providedand the gasoline, olefins. and hydrogen are delivered from thecondenser ll through the pipe 54 to said oil and gas separator. The olefins and hydrogen are conducted .from the separator through the pipe 55 to a gas storage tank such as 56 from which the burner supply pipe-26 leads to the furnace burners. The liquid passes through a conducting pipe 51 to the storage tank 58 for the-finished products. The conducting pipe .51 is equipped with a suitable valve 59 for controlling the flow of the liquid therethrough. 1

Provision has been made for utilizing a portion of the liquid in the storage tank 58 for refluxing to cool and condense the vapors coming off at the top of the fractionating tower. For this purpose, a line 60 has been provided which leads from the storage tank 58 to a motor driven pump Bl in the pump housing. A portion of this liquid may be delivered, throughthe deliver line 62, which enters the top of the fractionating tower as shown in Figure 7. Connected into this line, preferably are provided with the valves 64, 65 through which the flow of liquid through them may be regulated. The fractions of low boiling point will collect at the bottom of the fractionating tower. A heat exchanger 66 has been provided for the relief of the heavy liquid which collects in the fractionating tower. A relief line 61 leads ofi from the bottom of the fractionating tower andis connected into the heat exchanger 66 and .is controlled by a valve 68. A water line 69 leads from a suitable source and branches into the branch lines 45 and HI, the latter of which enters the heat exchanger 66 and is formed into a coiltherein and terminates in a water discharge pipe I l ,Leading from the heat exchanger 66, there is a return line 12- through which the liquid from the heat exchanger 66 may be delivered back to the t r e tank I.

. The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1 Apparatus of the character described comprising means ,for mixing and emulsifying hydrocarbon and water, means for supplying the water and hydro-carbon, to be mixed to the mixer, means-for vaporizing the emulsion, a catalyst in contact with which the vapors from the emulsion are passed, means for maintaining the vapors at high'temperature while in contact with the catalyst, a heat exchanger, means for delivering the vapors from the catalyst to the heat exchanger, a fractionating tower, a conduit leading from the heat exchanger and entering the lower portion of said tower, a catalyst in said conduit, means for introducing steam into the bottom of the tower, and means for taking off the vapor from tionating tower, a conduit for conducting the vapors from the heat exchanger into the lower portion of the tower, a catalystv into contact with which the vapors are brought by the conduit as the vapors pass into the tower and whereby the free oxygen is eliminated from the vapors, means for introducing hot steam into the bottom of the tower to re-heat the contents thereof, means for relieving the heavier fractions from the tower and the top of ing tower into the condenser, a heat exchanger through which said water conduit passes, means to conduct the reformed vapor to the heat exchanger, a conduit for conducting the vapors from the heat exchanger into the lower portion of the tower, a catalyst into contact with which the vapors are brought as they pass from the heat exchanger into the tower, said conduit for water continuing from the heat exchanger and entering the lower portion of the tower.

4. Apparatus of the character describedcomprising means for intimately mixing hydro-carbon with water and emulsifying the mixture, means for heating the emulsion, to vaporize the content of the hydro-carbon, a fractionating tower,-a condenser including a conduit for water,

aconduit for vapor leading from the fractionating tower into the condenser, a heat exchanger through which said water conduit passes, means to conduct the reformed vapor to the heat exchanger, a conduit for conducting the vapor from the heat exchanger into the lower portion of the I tower, a. catalyst into contactwith which the vapor is brought as it passes from the heat exchanger into the the tower, said conduit for water continuing from the heat exchanger. and.

corporated into said last mentioned conduit for separating the liquid from the vapor and means for delivering'a refluxing liquid into the top of g the tower.

same, a catalyst, mean for bringing the heated vapors into contact with the catalyst to cause a chemical reforming of the molecules of the hydrocarbon and water to increase the hydrogen content of the hydro-carbon, a fractionating tower, a condenser includinga conduit for water, a conduit for vapor leading from the fractionating tower into the condenser, a heat exchanger through which said water conduit passes, means to conduct the reformed vapors to the heat exchanger, a conduit for conducting the vapors from the heat exchanger into the lowerportion of the tower, a catalyst into contact with which the vapors are brought as they pass from the heat exchanger into the tower, said conduit for water continuing from the heat exchanger and entering the lower portion of the tower, a conduit leading from the condenser for conducting the con-' bon with Water and emulsifying the mixture,

means for heating the emulsion, to convert it into 6. Apparatus of the character described comprising means for intimately mixing hydro-carbon with water and'emulsifying the mixture, means for heating the emulsion, to convert it into vapor, a catalyst, means for bringing the heated ing tower into the condenser, a heat exchanger through which said water conduit passes, meansto conduct the reformed vapor to the heat exchanger, a conduit for conducting the vapor from the'heat exchanger into the lower portion of the tower, a catalyst into contact with which the vapor emulsionis brought as itpassesfrom ,the

heat exchanger into the tower, said conduit for water continuing from the heat exchanger and entering the lower portion of the tower, a conduit leading from the condenser for conducting the condensed liquid to storage, a separator incorporated into said last mentioned conduit for separating the liquid from the vapor and means 

